On first four levels of the "Starty nadezhd" competition classes competed in the following sports: athletics: running, cross-country running, push-ups, pull-ups, ball throw gymnastics: floor exercise swimming shooting tourist relay, also called tourist obstacle course On the fifth level, the last one before the finals, in addition to these sports, children teams competed in cross-country skiing, ice hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, chess, checkers. Finals In the finals of the competition competed some 100 best parallel classes of 15 republics of the Soviet Union. For the first time the finals were held in Artek Young Pioneer camp in October 1976. Next four finals also were held in Artek each year in September–October until 1980. Finals sixth through ninth were held until 1987 in Orlyonok Young Pioneer camp; 1981, 1984 and 1986 were leap years. Honorary guests of "Starty nadezhd" finals were many notable Soviet athletes, Olympic champions, including Nikolai Andrianov, Valeriy Borzov, Galina Prozumenshchikova, Pyotr Bolotnikov, Elena Vaytsekhovskaya. Winners of the finals of the competition were awarded medals, diplomas, pennants, memorable prizes. Significance As every school age boy and girl of the then-Soviet Union of classes 4 to 9 of secondary school could take part in "Starty nadezhd", competing in one's parallel class, the competition served as great means of popularizing sports among people, and exposing them to practicing sports, competitive activity and team spirit. Both the idea and the name of the competition are still popular. Some competitions named "Starty nadezhd" are held in Russia and Belarus. Since 1998 "Starty nadezhd" is the name of All-Ukrainian competition of parallel classes of secondary schools which is held yearly (with some leap years, nine finals were held before 2010), with finals in Artek, where some 27 best parallel classes compete. References History of Artek: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s History of Orlyonok 1975 establishments in the Soviet Union Children's sport Defunct multi-sport events Multi-sport events in the Soviet Union Soviet Union Youth Youth sport in Belarus Youth sport in the Soviet Union Youth sport in Ukraine Sports competitions in Russia Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization National youth sports competitions Recurring sporting events established in 1975